Question

Honour and glory ____ his reward.

• A. are
• B. is
• C. have
• D. were

Answer 1

Answer:

B. is

Subject-Verb Agreement in English Grammar

The core principle guiding this sentence structure is subject-verb agreement, which dictates that a verb must agree in number with its subject.

Singular vs. Plural Subjects

• A singular subject requires a singular verb.

• A plural subject requires a plural verb.

Compound Subjects

When a sentence contains a compound subject (two or more subjects joined by a conjunction), the verb agreement can sometimes be tricky. In this specific case, the subjects 'honour' and 'glory' are joined by the conjunction 'and'. However, they are being considered as a single, inseparable concept or a unified idea representing the ultimate outcome or prize. Therefore, they function as a singular unit.

Application to the Sentence

• The compound subject 'Honour and glory' is treated as a singular entity because it collectively refers to a single reward.

• Consequently, the verb must also be singular. The singular form of the verb 'to be' in the present tense is 'is'.

Exam Focus: Collective Nouns and Unified Concepts

• 'Bread and butter' is his only food. (Treated as one item)

• 'The long and short of it' is that he failed. (A single explanation)

• 'Every boy and girl' was given a prize. ('Every' preceding the nouns makes them singular)

Recognizing these nuances is crucial for correctly applying subject-verb agreement rules.